The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa, Volume 2 eBook

united together, along with Bhishma himself, have on
battle, by the prowess of his own arms, been vanquished
today by the angry son of Pritha, viz., Kiritin,
that one mighty car-warrior in the world.’
Talking thus, O Bharata, all the warriors of thy side
went to their tents from the field of battle.
And all the combatants of the Kuru army frightened
by Kiritin, then entered their tents illumined by thousands
of torches, and beautified by innumerable lamps.

SECTION LX

Sanjaya said,—­“When the night passed
away, O Bharata, the high-souled Bhishma, with wrath
engendered, supported by a large force, and stationed
at the head of the Bharata army, proceeded against
the foe. And Drona and Duryodhana and Valhika,
and also Durmarshana and Chitrasena, the mighty Jayadratha,
and other royal warriors, supported by large divisions
accompanied, surrounding him all sides. And surrounded
by those great and mighty car-warriors endued with
great prowess and energy, O king, he shone, O best
of monarchs, in the midst of those foremost of royal
warriors, like the chief of the celestials in the midst
of the gods. And the magnificent standards on
the backs of the elephants stationed in front of those
ranks, of diverse colours, viz., red, yellow,
black and brown, waving in the air, looked exceedingly
beautiful. And that army with the royal son of
Santanu and other mighty car-warriors and with elephants
and steeds, looked resplendent like a mass of clouds
charged with lightning, or like the firmament, in
the season of rains, with gathering clouds.[374] And
then the fierce army of the Kurus, bent on battle
and protected by Santanu’s son, rushed impetuously
towards Arjuna like the fierce current of the ocean-going
Ganga.[375] Pervaded by diverse kinds of forces possessed
of great strength, and having in its wings elephants,
steeds, infantry, and cars in profusion, that array
the high-souled (Arjuna) having the prince of apes
on his banner beheld from a distance to resemble a
mighty mass of clouds.[376] That high-souled hero,
that bull among men, upon his car furnished with tall
standard and unto which were yoked white steeds, at
the head of his (own) division and surrounded by a
mighty force, proceeded against the whole hostile army.
And all the Kauravas with thy sons, beholding that
ape-bannered (warrior) with his excellent standard
and handsome car-shaft wrapped (in costly cover),
accompanied by that bull of Yadu’s race, his
charioteer in battle, were filled with dismay.
And thy army beheld that best of arrays, which was
protected by that mighty car-warrior of the world,
viz., Kiritin, with weapons upraised to have
at each of its corners four thousand elephants.
Like the array which was formed on the day before by
that best of Kurus viz., king Yudhishthira the
just, and like of which had never been seen or heard
before by human beings, was this one of today (that
the Pandavas formed). Then on the field of battle